Tucked away in the residential suburbs of South Birmingham is a hidden gem. Worth visiting in its own right, and linked to two of Birmingham’s most famous residents too – that’s Sarehole Mill. Starting life as a rural mill several centuries ago, it was used for rolling metal by Matthew Boulton’s family business before he became a giant of industry, then reverted to its original use and became the childhood playground and inspiration for local lad JRR Tolkien.